A new collaboration between IBM and National Instruments (NI) has yielded the industry’s first condition monitoring and predictive maintenance testbed for the Internet of Things (loT).
The IBM cloud-based environment combines National Instruments'…

Going modular in its machine design was a matter of survival for Matrix Packaging, says Marc Willden, vice president and general manager. The Saukville, Wisconsin-based company designs and makes vertical form-fill-seal machines, the type of systems…

International panel weighs in on protecting the control system and other IoT-related issues.

Controllers are part of the system, when you’re thinking of the Internet of Things. They are nothing more than devices on the network, and the key to their protection is making the network as secure as you need the controllers to be. The IoT is a…

In this exclusive interview, Dick Morley shares his thoughts on programmable automation controllers.

Dick Morley is considered by many to be the father of the programmable logic controller (PLC). His involvement with the creation of the first Modicon PLC for General Motors in 1968 was a historic step in the development of industrial controls.
We…

In this exclusive interview, Dick Morley shares his thoughts on programmable automation controllers.

Dick Morley is considered by many to be the father of the programmable logic controller (PLC). His involvement with the creation of the first Modicon PLC for General Motors in 1968 was a historic step in the development of industrial controls.
We…

A machine builder asks about the trade-offs between a switched mode power supply and linear regulated.

We’re trying to save cabinet space by changing from a linear regulated power supply to a switched mode power supply. From what I understand, we’ll get a higher power density with a smaller footprint, while the power factor is about the same. My biggest concern is, with so many devices offering built-in intelligence these days, will a switching power supply create so much electromagnetic interference that it will cause a controls problem on our form, fill and seal machines?
Any mounting recommendations to reduce EMI? What about unregulated? And how close are power supplies to offering their own control capabilities, or is that already available?

Imagine the gains in productivity and profitability you’ll realize when you connect machinery to the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT). More information means smarter decisions. And collective intelligence is better than siloed data.
Are you…

If the application dictates the device, does the device dictate the communication?

Question: We’ve been using resolvers to track motor-shaft position in the CNC machines we build for years. And no one has asked, so we’ve never considered changing that technology. But now a customer has requested we also utilize encoders. While the variety of encoder types—capacitive, magnetic, optical—is pretty straightforward, we’re having some discussions as we try to understand the communication protocols available and which direction to go.
Can I replace a resolver with a sin/cos encoder? What about Hiperface, EnDat, SSI? If the application dictates the encoder or resolver, does the device dictate the communication protocol?
Join in the discussion below.

Creating machines for a variety of projects certainly keeps work interesting at Compass Automation in Elgin, Illinois. The pair programming and agile engineering methodologies Compass uses to design the machines add innovation to the mix, as well.

Researchers Will Demonstrate Feasibility of Using Standardized 3D Models for Electronically Exchanging and Processing Product and Manufacturing Information

National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) researchers and their industrial partners have embarked on a Design to Manufacturing and Inspection Project to add a new dimension to manufacturing capabilities. They will demonstrate the feasibility—and benchmark the advantages—of using standardized, 3D models for electronically exchanging and processing product and manufacturing information all the way from design through inspection of the final part, a tightly integrated, seamless string of activities that manufacturers are calling a "digital thread.”
Tom Hedburg, one of the researchers in the project, explains, “What we’re talking about is a 3D drawing with all the product information embedded in it. It’s a way of…

Industrial vacuum machine builder uses a configurable control cabinet system to compress costs, as well as design-and-build cycle.

"Creating a configurable control cabinet reduced engineering and delivery time by nearly 50%," says Kevin Weaver, president at Northwind Air Systems, manufacturer of the DuroVac brand of industrial vacuums in Mississauga, Ontario. Weaver…

Tuning three motor drives to move in a desired fashion independently of each other in synchronization requires a lot of work.

Synchronizing a process for highest productivity and quality output often requires precise electronic control of multiple motion axes simultaneously. This is difficult to do if each axis responds to control inputs differently, and yet they all have…

Tuning three motor drives to move in a desired fashion independently of each other in synchronization requires a lot of work.

Synchronizing a process for highest productivity and quality output often requires precise electronic control of multiple motion axes simultaneously. This is difficult to do if each axis responds to control inputs differently, and yet they all have…

The Swiss watch industry protects the legendary reputation of its watches with the quality label, "Swiss Made." This level of quality can be achieved in terms of production technology only with fast and accurate automation equipment. This led Amax…

Power Transmission Applications Use Lead Screws and Timing Belts, While Motion Control Applications Include High-Precision, Highly Repeatable Systems Equipped With Feedback and Servo Loops

Recall that a main component of a linear motion system is the linear actuator, which can be a pneumatic, hydraulic or electrical device. A good way to think of the various technologies in terms of a particular task is in the application's…

Sometimes, choosing a component is up to the customer’s discretion. Sometimes, it’s based on the application. And sometimes it’s just what the machine builder is most familiar with. With relays, there are a few clear-cut ways to go, but many…

A machine builder wants to know the tradeoffs between stepper motors and servo motors for its CNC machines

We've been using stepper motors in the CNC machines we build. However, we sometimes lose steps because of the heavy table. We’ve considered putting a feedback device on the stepper application to optimize torque, but is there a better solution? Would a servo motor solve this? What are the tradeoffs?
See also: Two controls engineers discuss servo motors

A machine builder wants to know the tradeoffs between stepper motors and servo motors for its CNC machines

We've been using stepper motors in the CNC machines we build. However, we sometimes lose steps because of the heavy table. We’ve considered putting a feedback device on the stepper application to optimize torque, but is there a better solution? Would a servo motor solve this? What are the tradeoffs?
See also: Two controls engineers discuss servo motors

Display of PressureAG200 media-isolated, digital pressure gauge has 4–20 mA output signal and large LCD that can display psi, bar, kg/cm, ATM, inches H20 and Hg measuring units. With a test button, users can evaluate loop current to ensure the system is set up correctly and adjust the current in 2 mA increments. Loop current update rate is 32 times/s; the display updates 3 times/s. American Sensor Technologies973/448-1901www.astsensors.com
Valve DriverD1 PWM Valve Driver is designed to drive and manage proportional valves. It converts proportional command voltage to a -1.1…1.1 A signal to drive the valve’s linear force motor. It works with 12 or 24 Vdc power supply and valve deadband; dither amplitude and maximum current are…

Gestures and motions can be used on mobile devices to operate equipment.

Glaub Automation & Engineering is one of the first system integrators to implement gesture commands for control in manufacturing. In a building used by Glaub Salzgitter, Germany, Matthias Fleischer, software developer, is standing in front of a…

New support program to provide real-time prices and lead time estimates.

POSITAL-FRABA has launched a new support program for system integrators featuring real-time prices and lead time estimates.
Through POSITAL’s online Product Finder, users can search through POSITAL’s range of product offerings. With the newly announced support program, new features are also being added, including preferred pricing and product discounts, free online or in-person training, and access to POSITAL’s knowledge database with industry-specific application success stories.
“System integrators are very demanding in terms of performance, price and availability,” explains Patrick Maxwell, Product Officer at POSITAL–FRABA. “We have strengths in each of these areas and want to help our customers, both in terms of…

After a record-setting 2014, the machine vision market is continuing to surge with companies expecting 11% growth for the year of 2015, according to VDMA Machine Vision's annual survey.
Although traditionally growth has been centered around Europe, sales outside Europe grew by 20%, with North America and Asia led the charge, together constituting 34% of total worldwide sales.
Amidst the global growth and distribution of sales, China was able to remain the third largest market for European machine vision companies. Germany also retained the number one spot with 34% of the total sales.
One key ingredient in the market's overwhelming success is the strong demand in both manufacturing and non-industrial applications. Manufacturing sectors…

Our State of Technology Report explores in greater detail technology trends in the arena of machine safety.

Machine safety protects employees from unsafe conditions and known hazards, reduces costs such as medical and insurance expenses, helps companies to comply with regional or international regulations and improves productivity or avoids complete…

A group of students at the North Cobb Christian High School in Atlanta, GA were recently offered Balluff's Sensing Technologies class as part of the school's Math, Science and Technology Academy.
According to the school, the Academy is "a rigorous program designed to prepare students to pursue advanced degrees and careers in high tech markets." Students are enrolled in a four-year high-school track, rich with AP and Honors courses, culminating in an internship their senior year. Balluff and the Math, Science and Technology Academy coordinated for the selection of students chosen to attend the two-day course.
The course included hands-on labs dealing with object detection, linear position measurement and IO-Link technologies as well…

What will the next generation of manufacturing workers look like? One thing is certain. These individuals will be able to work with robots — capable of programming them, as well as allowed to interact with them, side by side.
Ntxuzone Yang and…

Imagine the gains in productivity and profitability you’ll realize when you connect machinery to the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT). More information means smarter decisions. And collective intelligence is better than siloed data.
Are you…

Tablet-sized HMI builds on established features with modern resolution.

Two new tablet-sized HMI displays from Maple Systems bring an expanded operator field of vision and in-cabinet protection to the industrial marketplace. Enter the HMI5097XL and HMI5097NXL 9.7-in HMI displays.
A 70° viewing angle enables an improved field of vision for efficient monitoring and control of operational status. “These particular displays have an extremely wide viewing angle,” explains Larry St.Peter, CEO of Maple Systems. “It’s virtually from side to side. With previous HMI displays, if you went off-axis more than 30°, your ability to see what’s on-screen would go away. With these new displays, you get resolution all the way around, from almost every angle. The operator no longer has to stand directly in front of…

Are analog panel meters still good enough, or do we need to look at digital panel meters or the HMI-PLC combo units?

The textile machinery we build includes some wet process technologies. Analog panel meters have always done the job, but we’ve started looking at different options. Newer process designs have required greater accuracy and enabled closed-loop control on processes that previously required manual operation. We’re looking at higher-end digital panel meters, but each piece of equipment requires many, and they all require some degree of configuration. Because of the price, the costs mount quickly.
Are there digital-panel-meter options that will meet our needs without putting us at a price disadvantage with our competitors? Perhaps I could replace the panel meters with a PLC and HMI. I’ve also heard about the PLC-HMI combos with PID…

I’ve been replacing legacy HMI screens that are many, many years past life expectancy, but they still work. The issue though is whether we still have access to a working programming terminal of the same vintage. Virtual PCs can be of some help,…

If a Wireless Industrial Device Needs to Connect to Send a Process Update or Alarm and Can't Though the Signal Appears Strong, the Consequences Could be Severe

Have you ever been on a public Wi-Fi hotspot such as a coffee shop or airport with the signal strength indicator on your mobile device or laptop indicating a nice strong signal but then not being able to log on the network? The likely reason is that…

No Matter What Type of Switch is Used, It’s Important to Recognize and Account for the Needs of Engineering Staff, Maintenance Personnel and Operators to Access a Machine for Upkeep and Cleaning.

When you've got to stop, you've got to stop. For machine builders, that's usually a job for safety switches. They allow safe access to dangerous machines by putting systems in a harmless state, which could mean cutting off power completely. In selecting a safety switch, it's important to keep in mind frequency and function, according to Roberta Nelson Shea, global marketing manager for Rockwell Automation. For something that needs to be opened only once a year, the best solution likely is to use simple guards, such as by completely encasing the area. More frequent access has to be easier. It's when access is frequent, but not constant that an interlocking safety switch comes into play."You expect somebody needs to get in there at least…

Things used to be simpler. A color sensor did its basic, low-cost, red-green-blue (RGB) sensing jobs to distinguish items such as bottle-cap colors. A vision system used its expensive cameras for higher-level image gathering and processing to differentiate subtle shades. Now both technologies are diversifying. Color sensors can distinguish shades better, and vision systems are dropping in price to do simpler tasks.

"Most color sensors didn't do true color comparisons," says Jack Moermond, market manager for object detection and photoelectronics at Balluff. "The most-popular binary-output sensors took in percentages of red, green and blue, and output them to PLCs to indicate color presence or go/no-go conditions. Now, a lot of customers want to compare or sort different shades and textures. This capability used to be very costly. Also, color sensors are a lot easier to configure now."

The color sensor market hasn't performed especially well lately because vision systems have taken over some applications, according to Steve Nylund, CEO of Delta Computer Systems. However, both sensors and visions systems have suffered because they're often used in quality control projects that were put on the backburner during the recent recession.

"Our specialty is color sensors that can handle textured materials and surface variations, and so we've been stable because this is where lower-cost sensors can't perform as well," Nylund explains. "We also have a large 0.5 in.2 sensing area and a wide, diffuse lighting pattern that smoothes out our sensing process. Our sensors have been getting more sophisticated, and now we can teach them up to 15 colors with our ColorSense software. We gave the software the ability to more accurately show to the user what the sensor sees."

Michael Turner, product manager for photoelectric sensing at Pepperl+Fuchs, adds, "There's no middle-of-the-road color sensor. Either it's a basic type that's relatively low-cost with good performance but very limited in functionality, or it's manufactured by a color sensor specialist and it's extremely costly. I think there is room for innovation in the middle-of-the-road category."

Pepperl+Fuchs recently introduced a family of contrast sensors that is a special version of a color-mark sensor/contrast sensor, and incorporates IO-Link networking functions that can be used to establish an RGB benchmark, copy custom settings to multiple devices, and save changeover time.

"With the complexities of automotive interior assemblies (door panels, head liners, cockpits, seats, etc.), the possibility to install an incorrect component can be relatively high unless assembly is verified," says Victor Caneff, automotive business manager at Banner Engineering. "Our color sensor can verify that an installed component matches the color scheme of the interior design. Using a white LED light source, the sensor analyzes reflected light from the surface of the target. By comparing the red, green and blue content present in the reflected light, the sensor determines if the part matches a stored value from a known good sample programmed into its memory. Also, intensity thresholds can be established to detect if the part is the correct shade of the color."

Even in higher-tech vision systems, Cognex agrees, users want high resolution and to differentiate between shades, so they want 24-bit color processing software and tools to do it. "We came up with a color camera with 1,600x1,200-pixel resolution and Match Color and Extract Color tools in our Insight vision software to identify colors more accurately," says Narayan Subramaniam, principal product marketing manager for Cognex's vision systems.

Rick Bondy, product manager for registration solutions at Sick, says that besides teaching shades and setting tolerances, color sensors are aided by stronger LED light sources that allow longer sensing distances, and by its own 30x10 mm rectangular illumination area instead of the usual 18 mm circular light spots. Sick's sensors can identify and teach up to four colors.

"Many users are upset by vision systems that are costly, complex and hard to set up," Bondy says. "So, in the last three or four years, suppliers have been making them easier to integrate, maintain and apply."